Multiple-connection device



i i 10, 1929, H. B. JONES 1,738,711

MULTIPLE CONNECTION DEVICE Filed Feb. 21, 1925 Patented Dec. 10, 1929 UNHE HOWARD B. JONES, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS MULTIPLE-CONNECTION DEVICE Application filed February 21, 1025. Serial No. 10,789.

These improvements relate to devices for making a plurality of electrical connections at one and the same time. In the form illustrated the device is a socket member adapted to cooperate with a multiple connection plug member, and full details of the plug member and certain details of the socket member will be found illustrated, described and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 622,241, filed March 2nd, 1923.

The improvements have been designed particularly with a view to providing means for simultaneously making and breaking a considerable number of circuits which will be found in a radio receiving set. In my said copending application I have shown a socket member secured upon a panel board or the like. I have found it desirable to provide such a connection member for application within the cabinet of such a receiving set whereby the lead wires may extend to and from the socket member more advantageously, as where the cable leading to these connections may be brought to the rear or a side wall of the set in an out-of-the-Way position and the wires leading to the terminals of the set may be disposed more free of other Y wires or parts, whereby the pulling and pushing strains of breaking and making the connections will be communicated to a more stable part, whereby the panel board will be free of this element, and the more difiicult operation of boring through the panel board with a substantially large boring instrument is avoided, and all to the effect of making an unusually strong connection member which may be applied for use within a cabinet, either to the base board as shown or to side or end walls of the cabinet in the most advantageous position.

Figure 1 of the drawings shows a fragment of a cabinet wall with the present improvements in operative relation thereof; Fig. 2 shows the device in a side view with a mul tiple connection plug element fragmentarily shown by dotted lines; Fig. 3 is a rear view of the device, and Fig. 4 is a medial vertical section of the socket device parts shown in Fig. 2.

I provide a supportingmember having a normally upstanding arm 10 and a base part 11 adapted to be secured as by screws ,to the base board or some other part of the cabinet. ThlS supporting member is preferably of metal, as cast brass, in order that it may be quite strong and able to withstand considerable pulling and pushing strains imparted to the plug element 12, shown by dotted line and fully described in my said copending application.

Secured to the supporting member is a mounting 13 of insulating material, preferably in the form of a disc or circular plate which interfits telescopically with the casing part of the plug member. The means for holding the mounting 13 is shown as a tubular member 14 having its inner end flared outwardly at 15 for holding effect, this barrel 14 extending through the disc 13 and through the supporting member, there being a sleevelike nut 15 at its inner end for binding the disc 14 and supporting member firmly together. This bolt 14 is made tubular so that it may accommodate acentrally-arranged guiding stem 17 on the plug member shown sectionally in Fig. 3, which stem 17 has a groove cut longitudinally therein to accommodate the pin 18, whereby the plug member 12 may be united with the socket member in only one given relation.

Passing through the disc 13 are a plurality of relatively long and narrow contact members 20 and 20 spaced apart from each other, extending substantially parallel with each other and beyond the inner face of the disc 13 and preferably also well beyond the arm 10 of the supporting member, and being out of contact with the supporting member except for the one marked 20*. They are secured to the insulation 13 by external threads of relatively large pitch on the contact members, and in practice the disc 13 is cored or bored with suitable holes for the members 20 and these members are then simply forced in with a 1tglvisting movement and are thus tightly The outer ends of the contact members 20 are recessed at 21 to accommodate the projecting plug elements to be understood as forming a part of plug member 12 and fully illustrated in my said copending applicatiifrn. The inner ends of the several c'optact or socket members 20 are bored at 22 and filled with solder so that when the user comes toapp] wires thereto it is only necessary for him to old the wire adjacent to the solder, apply a soldering iron until the solder softens, push the end of the wire into the recess 22 and let the solder harden. A neat and stro connection can thus be made with comparative ease in a construction where numerous wires come falrly close together.

In ap lying the device for use the cabmet should e provided with a hole as 23 large enough to accommodate the end of the casing of the plug member 12, and at such a place that when the supporting member 10-11 18 secured in place the disc 13 will be coaxial w1th the hole 23. The socket member is thus protectively within thecabinet yet readily accessible from the outside.

It will be noted that the contact member 20" passes throu h the arm 10 of the supporting member an is not insulated from that member. Since, however, there is no electrical connection between the metallic supporting member 10 and any of the other contact members 20, this electrical contact by the socket member 20 is immaterial. In practice the element 20 is used as the ground connection for the antenna. The arrangement shown not onl permits the use of a considerable number 0 such contact elements in a substantially small s ace and in compact arrangement, but thls connection between element 20' and the support stabilizes and strengthens the relation of the disc 13 to the supporting member.

In Fig. 3 I have shown lines 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31 indicating wires connected to the terminals 20 and 20. Such wires are to be understood as leading to appropriate terminals of the set.

The device as thus constructed is peculiarly simple and strong and is particularly advantageous in the notable latitude it allows the user for making the desired connections at the most convenient place and to the best advantage with respect to the large amount of other wiring and delicate instruments within the cabinet of a radio receiving set. Sucha connection could be used in other electrical work also.

The construction is subject to some modification within the spirit of the invention, as indicated by the appended claims.

. I claim:

1. A multiple socket device of the character described comprising in combination a metallic supportingmember having a normally upright arm and a base part adapted to be secured in a relatively fixed osition, a cylindrical mounting of insu ating material, means for securing said mounting to said supporting member, said means comprising a mean:

tubular member extending centrally through the mounting and through the arm of the su porting member, with a nut threaded on t e end of said tubular member, and a plurality of long and narrow socket members carried by the mounting in s aced-apart relation to each other and exten in six stantially parallel with each other and 0nd the rear surface of the mountin and ing out of contact with the supporting member, said socket members having means at their inner ends for soldering wires thereto respectively and being recessed at their front ends for electrical connection with a multiple lu device.

2. A multiple connection evice of the character described comprising in combination a supporting member havin an upstanding arm and a base part adapts to be secured in a relativelly fixed position, a cylindrical base of insulating vmaterial, means for securing said base to said sup orting member, and a lurality of Ion an narrow contact memers carried b t e base in a'ced-apart relation to each 0t er and exten ing substantially parallel with each other and beyond'the rear surface of the base, all of said contact members but one being free from the supporting member, said one thereof passing through the supporting member ar said contact members being adapted at their inner ends respective for solderin wires thereto and having provisions at their outer ends for electrical connection with acoacting multiple connection device.

3. An electrical connection socket member ficiently to extend through and beyond accommodating holes in a support when the inner side of the base rests upon one face surface of such support, said conductors being substantially arallel to each other and having respective y a hole therein extending longitudinally thereof and being open to the outer surface of.said base and being adapted to receive a conductor plu element for electrical contact, and means or holding said base upon such support. 1

4. The combination of claim 3 hereof in which said base-holding means com rise a threaded bolt-like member carried y the base and adapted to extend through an accommodating ole in such sup ort, and a nut member on said bolt-like mem r.

5. The combination of claim 3' hereof in 

